OSVR announces $5m dev fund for universal VR titles

OSVR is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to convincing developers to release their virtual reality experiences for multiple devices.

The Open Source Virtual Reality platform is backed by companies including PC peripheral maker Razer and aims to offer a universal foundation for multiple variations of VR headset.

To this end, OSVR has announced a $5 million developer fund, designed to encourage creators to bring their experiences to OSVR. The framework is compatible with other VR platforms, including SteamVR.

Any developer can put their name forward for the fund, with successful applicants receiving support with marketing and promotion of their game.

Razer and other OSVR founders will reportedly buy a number of game codes as a way of rewarding creators for their time and investment, likely using them in giveaways and other promotions.

OSVR has also revealed the second big update to its HDK hardware kit, which introduces a 2160×1200 90Hz OLED display in line with the Oculus Rift. The original HDK had a resolution of just 1920×1080.

In addition, the HDK2 touts OSVR’s Image Quality Enhancer, a physical coating which is engineered to counteract a widespread problem with VR – the ‘screen door’ effect, where individual pixels are visible when magnified through a headset’s lenses. IQE allegedly blurs the pixels, to output a smoother image.

Also included is a 100Hz camera, plus per-eye focusing.

The new package will cost $399, cheaper than both the Rift’s $599 and Vive’s $799 price tags. The original HDK will remain available for $299.